Qualified applicants for graduate study in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies are expected to have interests and goals that are consistent with the department's expertise and course offerings, and with the degree program to which they are applying.

Admissions Criteria

Strong academic records in the behavioral sciences and a Graduate Record Examination score of at least 1000 (combined verbal and quantitative) are typical.

International non-native speakers of English must achieve a TOEFL score of 600 or higher on the paper-based test or 90 or higher on the Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT). In addition, applicants who take the TOEFL iBT must achieve the following minimum test scores in addition to the overall required score: reading, 19; listening, 14; speaking, 18; and writing, 18.

Students admitted to the graduate program are required to have completed undergraduate or graduate statistics and research methods courses or the equivalent. Applicants who do not meet this prerequisite, but are otherwise qualified for admission, are required to complete remediation courses during their first year of study. (The remedial course/s may count towards the degree requirement.)

Application Procedures

The application deadline is January 15.

Applications are accepted for fall admission only.

Applications need to be completed online through the Purdue Graduate School. The application fee may be paid with a credit card.

Application to graduate study in CDFS includes the following requirements:

• A completed online application form.
• Transcripts (one original) from each institution of higher education attended. Transcripts must bear original authentication and, if not issued in English, official, original (non-English) language transcripts must be accompanied by certified English translations.
• Verbal and quantitative scores on the Graduate Record Examination (Purdue's institutional code is 1631).
• Three letters of recommendation that address the applicant's academic qualifications. Recommendation forms are available to download from the Graduate School.
• Statement of educational goals and career objectives.
  • applicants to the family studies program
  • applicants to the developmental studies program
  • applicants to the marriage and family therapy program
• International applicants only: TOEFL and TWE scores or TOEFL iBT scores (Purdue's institutional code is 1631) plus completion of a telephone interview initiated by a member of the CDFS faculty.

These required items should be sent to:

Graduate Secretary
Department of Child Development and Family Studies
Purdue University
Fowler Memorial House
1200 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2055

Phone: (765) 494-2965
Fax: (765) 494-0503

E-mail: harshman@purdue.edu

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Family Studies PhD Program Applicants

Statement of Educational Goals and Career Objectives

The statement (300-900 words) needs to address your purpose for undertaking graduate study at Purdue, including your professional plans or career goals. Students applying for the doctoral degree must discuss their research interests in some detail (including population and phenomena you would like to study).

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Developmental Studies PhD Program Applicants

Admission to the developmental studies doctoral program is based, in part, on whether your career goals are consistent with a research degree and whether your research interests are consistent with faculty expertise in the department. To assist us with that process, please write an essay that addresses the following:

• Describe your post-PhD career goals and explain why a PhD degree is necessary for you to meet your career goals.
• Indicate which two or three faculty members' research is most closely related to your own research interests and tell in what aspect of their respective research projects you can see yourself making a contribution. NOTE: Faculty research interests are indicated on the Web site, but it may be a good idea to talk with several faculty about their research prior to writing this statement.
• Explain what in your previous schooling or life experience has prepared you for a doctoral program in child development and family studies.
• If you did or are currently doing a master's thesis, please attach a one-page summary/abstract of your study, including the purpose and rationale for the study, the methodology, data analyses, and your findings (if available). Applicants without previous graduate school experience may (but are not required to) attach a summary of an honors thesis or senior thesis.

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Marriage and Family Therapy PhD Program Applicants

Due to its combined academic and clinical nature, the marriage and family therapy program has some unique features and requirements. Students applying to the doctoral program are required to hold a Master's degree from a COAMFTE accredited program or have a Master's degree from a related area and can provide evidence that they have completed the standard curriculum as defined by the COAMFTE.

Students applying to MFT are requested to submit a Statement of Educational Goals and Career Objectives and an Autobiographical Statement.

Statement of Educational Goals and Career Objectives

The statement (300-900 words) needs to address your purpose for undertaking graduate study at Purdue, including your professional plans or career goals. Students applying for the doctoral degree must discuss their research interests in some detail (including population and phenomena you would like to study).

Autobiographical Statement

Applicants for this option are to submit an autobiographical statement following the guidelines listed below. (NOTE: This is different from the statement of purpose required with the application for admission.) The autobiographical statement should be typed, double-spaced, and approximately 1200 to 1500 words. In preparing your autobiographical statement please respond to the following questions:

• What critical factors from your past have most influenced your present development and your decision to become a marriage and family therapist?
• What are your professional goals upon completing your degree?
• What do you consider your strengths that will help you achieve your professional goals?
• What do you consider the areas in yourself that will need most attention during your training at Purdue?
• Briefly describe your experience, if any, working with individuals, couples, and families.
• Briefly describe previous training, if any, you may have had in family therapy.
• Briefly describe your background and experience, if any, in research.

Immediately after the January 15 deadline, applications are reviewed. The strongest candidates will then be invited to campus for an interview (at their own expense, typically in the second or third week of March). This will give the candidate an opportunity to meet with the faculty as well as current students in the MFT program.

Applicants will be evaluated in terms of their commitment to the goals of the program, academic background, letters of reference, and evidence of proven ability through such criteria as grade point average and Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores. Previous research experience and experience working with people in some capacity will also strengthen one's application. Generally, students who have already completed the master's degree are stronger applicants.

Prospective students who have questions should contact MFT program director Douglas Sprenkle, Cleveland Shields or Volker Thomas. All the family therapy staff are clinical members and approved supervisors of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). As stated previously, the doctoral program is also accredited by the AAMFT.

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